Humboldt
County
Biographies
CHARLES H. CARTER
As long as the town of Carter stands
it will be a monument to the enterprise and progressive spirit of its founder,
Charles H. Carter, who is its pioneer businessman, is still a prominent
representative of its commercial interests and is its postmaster, having filled
that position since the establishment of the office. He took up his abode at his present location
in 1858, having already been a resident of California for nine years.
Mr. Carter was born in Cayuga
County, New York, June 13, 1829, and is of English lineage. The progenitor of the family in the United
States was his great-great-grandfather, Enoch Carter, who came to America in
1760 and was a prominent factor in the early history of the colonies. He served in the French and Indian War and
was discharged, and on his return from the scene of the conflict was taken ill
and died. The great-grandfather,
Benjamin Carter, was born in New England and the grandfather, who also bore the
name of Benjamin, was a native of the same section of country, but removed to
eastern New York, where Mr. Carter’s father, the third Benjamin Carter, was
born, the place of his nativity being Washington County. He married Miss Elizabeth Cole, a native of
Rhode Island and a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier. The paternal grandfather of our subject also
aided the colonists in their struggle for independence, and his son, Benjamin
Carter, Jr., loyally served his country in the War of 1812. He lived to be more than eighty years of
age. Throughout his active business
career he was an industrious and well-to-do farmer, and both he and his wife
were of the Presbyterian faith. She
departed life in the sixty-fifth year of her age, and only three of their eight
children now survive.
Charles H. Carter of this review is
the youngest of the surviving boys, having a younger sister. He acquired his education in Fulton Academy
and in the academy at Waterloo, but put aside his textbooks on learning of the
discovery of gold in California. By the
hope of rapidly acquiring wealth he was allured to the Pacific coast, sailing
from New York to Panama, and on its western coast taking passage on Pacific
waters for San Francisco, where he arrived on the 1st of July,
1849. He eagerly made his way to the
gold diggings, going up the Sacramento to the city of that name and thence to
the mining district of the Feather River.
He also engaged in mining on Trinity River until winter came, and the
deep snow forced him to abandon his labors.
Accordingly he returned to Sacramento, where he spent the winter months
and later he engaged in mining at various places on the Trinity until 1858,
when he left that locality with about five thousand dollars that he had
accumulated as the savings of his earnest labor. In 1856 he engaged in the lumber business on
the Trinity, having a saw mill, making lumber for fluming, which he carried on
for two years.
In that year Mr. Carter came to his
present location and opened a mercantile establishment, which formed the
nucleus of the present town. Here he has
continued in business since, a period of forty-two years and by close
attention, unflagging industry and persistency of purpose he has built up a
large and constantly growing trade, the profits therefrom annually augmenting
his capital. He has a very large store
building, from garret to basement filled with all kinds of merchandise,
including produce and miner’s supplies.
His first store was two miles below the town, but he erected his present
business block and residence in 1860 and has here a beautiful and commodious
home, surrounded by magnificent trees of his own planting, including stately
oaks that stand sentinel over his abode, casting a grateful shade over house
and lawn. Mr. Carter also has valuable
mining interests and is the owner of fifty acres of the town site, thirty acres
of which he has platted, under the name of Carter’s Addition. He is selling residence lots, and that
section of the city is being built up with a good class of dwellings.
In May, 1865, occurred the marriage
of Mr. Carter and Miss Sarah J. Crossett, a native of east New York and a
daughter of Edward T. Crossett, who became one of the pioneer dentists of the
state. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Carter have
been born seven children, of whom four are still living, namely: George B. and Woodward T., who are capable
businessmen and are now conducting their father’s store; Ida E., who is a
graduate of the State Normal School and is a teacher of ability in East
Oakland, California; and Addie, who is at home with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Carter are both enjoying good
health. The lady is a member of the Baptist
church, while he belongs to the Knights of the Maccabees
and the Independent Order of Good Templar’s.
His political support is given to the Republican Party, and of its
principles he is a staunch advocate, believing firmly in the policy which has been
followed through the past four years. He
is one of the best preserved of the ‘49ers and has the appearance and vigor of
a man many years his junior. His memory
forms a link between the primitive past and the progressive future and his
labors have contributed in large measure to the substantial development of the
state which attracted him to its boundaries more than half a century ago. He feels just pride in its wonderful
advancement, and among its honored early settlers he certainly deserves
prominent mention.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 152-153. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Humboldt County Biographies